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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27750826">Game of Cat and Monkey</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_SeaCat/pseuds/The_SeaCat'>The_SeaCat</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>LEGO Monkie Kid, Pirate AU - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Pirate AU</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:41:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,790</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27750826</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_SeaCat/pseuds/The_SeaCat</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Monkey King's successor and part time cabin boy runs into a lot more than he bargained for when a certain "cat" crosses his path...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So this was inspired by a migraine dream I had about a week ago, and it was honestly too epic to not write it down, so I did. </p><p>The credit for the backbone AU goes to ninja-knox-ur-sox-off on Tumblr, so there are a lot of references to it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was supposed to be easy, not get complicated in a matter of five minutes or less. In and out. Not in, run around, then out with a spray of musket balls in his wake.</p><p>Wukong had sent him in the Monkey King get-up to fetch an astrolabe that was supposed to be magic, or enchanted, or something. Whatever. It did something special and he was supposed to get it. And it was supposed to be easy.</p><p>Breaking into the mansion of the collector was easy enough, most everyone had gone to bed and what guards there were seemed confident that no one would dare to try to break in that they were easy to slip past.</p><p>It wasn’t until MK reached the study, where the astrolabe was supposed to be, that the evening went hard about faster than a sloop catching a good wind.</p><p>He stopped dead in his tracks only seconds after closing the large doors behind him at the sight of a silhouette against the large, double-paned windows. He was half ready to relax after going tense at seeing it, expecting it to be a decorative suit of armor, or statue, or something, but that feeling never came as the glimmer of very real, deep, sea blue eyes glinted in surprise at his presence in the moonlight.</p><p>They tensed, crouched almost at seeing him as if hoping to shrink back into the shadows unnoticed, and MK reached for the rapier on his belt, drawing it out only maybe a quarter of an inch, just in case. His eyes traveled down the figure’s form, landing and locking onto the astrolabe clutched tightly in their fingers like the claws of an oriental dragon around a pearl. Even with his mask on, he gave his best, charming smile and raised an eyebrow, knowing full well that the figure could likely see his expression with the moonlight pouring into the room. </p><p>“Don’t suppose I can just ask you to hand that over nicely, can I?” he asked.</p><p>WHOOSSSSHH-CRACK!</p><p>He barely--barely--had time to register that something long, fluid in its motion, and metal from the way it was glinting, was flying straight at his head; like a blue serpent gliding through the air at lightning speed. He leaned back instinctively to dodge, back and neck arching back at a practically impossible angle to spare him the blow. His breath caught in his throat as the long object snagged the fabric of his mask, hearing it tear very near to the arch his nose made beneath it. He whipped out his sword, using the blade to smack the object away as it continued to stretch outwards in his direction dangerously and rolled back to safety, free hand flying to his mask to check just how much of it had been torn; and sighed discreetly in relief at feeling only a slight rip in the material while his eyes followed the object as it flew back to its owner.</p><p>A whip. It was a whip! As if the sound of the crack ringing through his ears wasn’t telling enough he had to nearly get his nose snapped off by it!</p><p>“Hey!” he protested, louder than he had intended. Not that it mattered, since the sound of that whip alone was enough to wake the dead! He was still so stunned by the brazen act that he couldn’t even think of something witty and whip related to say! Nor would he have the time to after completely recovering, either.</p><p>The owner of the whip reared it back again, cracking it a second time; but not at him. At the window behind them. The odd, blue metal shattered the glass like a heavy and well aimed club swing, sending it showering over the room and the courtyard below. To anyone who hadn’t seen the action itself, it might have seemed like the window just exploded! MK held up an arm to cover himself as some of the glass showered a little too close, then watched in astonishment as the figure lept right through the now apparent gap in the window ledge. He let out a choked sound of surprise and darted to the edge to watch their fall, flinching as he heard the whip crack again, and was just able to catch sight of it catching on the limb of a tree in the courtyard below, allowing the owner to swing--with almost supernatural ease--up onto the outside wall of the mansion.</p><p>MK could only blink and continue to watch in awe as they briefly glanced back at him before disappearing over the wall and vanishing from sight. </p><p>“Um… okay then…?” he murmured to himself, taking a moment to move his hat aside just enough to scratch his head in confusion.</p><p>He only had that moment though; the sound of running footfalls in the hall outside the room he was in snapped him back into reality and sent him out the window himself. Nice of that stranger to at least give him an escape route after stealing his mark right out from under him!</p><p>Now he just had to get back to the ship.</p><p>And explain everything to Wukong and the others.</p><p>Great…<br/>~~~<br/>Back at the Flowerfruit, MK couldn’t help but feel like a bug under a magnifying glass when he first climbed aboard, empty handed. It was only when he was taking off the Monkey King outfit that he was able to get enough of a word in as the crew bombarded him with questions on how it went, and all that. It stung having to explain when he didn’t know quite how to explain it himself, since he was still largely processing the situation, but he did his best.</p><p>“And they used a whip!” he exclaimed, pacing back and forth in the galley as the others sat and listened, watching him walk. “But it wasn’t like a cat o’ ninetails kind of whip, it was like a legit, long whip! Made of metal!”</p><p>“A metal whip?” Wukong asked, voice sounding skeptical as he raised an eyebrow.</p><p>“Yeah!” MK snatched up his mask and held it out for the others to see. “Look what it did to my mask!”</p><p>Tang took the cloth from MK before Wukong could, adjusting his glasses and squinting at the tear with a great deal of scrutiny.</p><p>“Hm… He’s right. This is a clean cut. A rawhide whip would have left more jagged tearing,” he said, finally passing the cloth to Wukong. “It had to have been made of metal. Sharp metal.”</p><p>“Sharp and strong enough to shatter glass even…” Wukong mused, sighing as he put the mask aside and crossed his arms. “And they got the astrolabe…?”</p><p>MK frowned, gaze falling to the floor. “I’m sorry…” </p><p>A weight on his shoulder made him look up at Wukong, who shrugged and was smiling at him.</p><p>“Relax, it’s not like we’ve lost it for good,” he said. “Chances are, whoever this character is, they’re still on the island somewhere. If it was me, I sure wouldn’t risk skipping port right away. I’d lay low, wait until the heat dies down and until the local constabulary isn’t searching everyone’s person for an astrolabe.”</p><p>“Yeah, something like that sticks out way too much to just pass off as usual luggage.” Mei said with a nod. “Like who even uses those anymore…?”</p><p>“Point is, we still have a chance of getting it back.” Wukong said, hand slipping off a now smiling MK’s shoulder. “We’ll sweep the town and ask around for a pirate who uses a whip. Shouldn’t be too hard to find.”</p><p>“Yeah!” MK nodded, fists pumping towards his chest excitedly.</p><p>“In the meantime, let’s get some shut eye. It’s only a few hours until sunrise, and we’ll start our search then.”<br/>~~~<br/>Morning couldn’t come soon enough. He was able to get a few winks at least, but he was itching to get back out there and find this mysterious whip wielding pirate.</p><p>It was kind of fun having a new player in the game; new blood to run up against, and he was eager to test his metal against them.</p><p>Even if the first time didn’t pan out so well… but that was only because he had been caught off guard! He could do better the next time around! He would do better.</p><p>They split up around the port, some of them on their own, some in pairs, to cover more ground. There wouldn’t be much need to go to the richer, or more high end districts in town, since it wasn’t very likely that the noblemen and their ilk would pay too much attention to a seaman wearing a whip. Or to a seaman in general. Taverns and boarding houses would be their best bet.</p><p>That didn’t mean it would be easy though. Wukong had been right; soldiers were searching the outgoing ships and any passengers on them. If they weren’t careful they’d likely be recognized, but thankfully their line of questioning wouldn’t likely tie in with the theft of the astrolabe. Even so, part of him was very tempted to just ask one of the soldiers what they knew at least to make this go faster…</p><p>He kept going over the previous night in his head. From the moment he entered the study to the moment he had to jump through the window to get away.</p><p>He tried to remember everything he could about the figure he encountered; not just the whip they held. Their stance, the way they tried to shrink into the shadows like that. They obviously knew how to sneak around, if they got into the mansion, so finding them might not be all that easy. But then there were the eyes. Blue eyes. Not all that common around these parts. At least not the shade he caught a brief glimpse of. Someone would have had to notice a blue eyes, whip-toting pirate around here at some point… or at least that’s what he would think.</p><p>MK snapped out of his thoughts long enough to look up and jog over to Pigsy as he saw him round a corner ahead of him.</p><p>“Anything?” he asked, somewhat hopeful sounding.</p><p>“Nada.” Pigsy shook his head, arms crossed over his chest. “Either they haven’t seen anything period or won’t say whether or not they have.”</p><p>MK sighed. “Maybe they really did skip port already,” he said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. </p><p>“Maybe…” Pigsy said with a shrug.</p><p>A sound pierced the air that made MK practically jump. Pierced… no, cracked.</p><p>The same sound he heard last night.</p><p>Followed by a loud crash and a shout.</p><p>MK and Pigsy both turned around to see what was causing the commotion, as did a small crowd that gathered outside what looked like the back entrance to an inn. From what they could see, a large, bulky pirate had been thrown hard into a few supply crates and barrels, their contents now scattered over and around him as he laid dazed in a pile of splinters; but what caught MK’s attention completely was the sight of a long, blue, metal whip-like cord being coiled back up into the hands of its owner, and from where he was he could just barely see the same glint of sea blue eyes from last night.</p><p>“Maybe that’ll teach ya t’ keep your hands to yourself,” the voice, thick with an Irish accent, and that of a woman’s. “Especially when you’ve already been told t’ do so once, ya scut!”</p><p>She turned on her heel and marched off, kicking a broken plank out of her path, and attaching the strange weapon back to a holster on her sash-like belt as she went. Pigsy let out a whistle, which in turn snapped MK out of his state of shock.</p><p>“She’s got some gumption!” Pigsy said with a chuckle, grunting loudly in shock as MK grabbed and turned him so they were facing each other.</p><p>“Pigsy, that’s them! Her! The whip! It’s the same one! I’d swear on it!” MK blurted out, head turning rapidly between Pigsy and the direction the woman was headed off in.</p><p>Pigsy tore MK’s hands off him. “Okay, okay, I get it! So now what?”</p><p>“Uh…” MK shook his head, scratching his head a few times before looking back at the other. “You get back to the others and tell them we found her, and I’ll follow her and find out where she’s going!”</p><p>MK took off without another word, despite protest from Pigsy. He had to push through the crowd a little bit in order to follow the woman down the same road without losing her, his fear of doing so almost making him miss a deep, red gash on the chest of the poor soul who had angered her earlier. He grimaced a bit, mind flashing back to the night before and how that could have been his face… not that he was afraid of a good scar, he already had a handful of them, but still… just… Ouch.</p><p>He shook it off and continued to follow her, making sure to keep enough distance between the two of them that he could. She didn’t seem to be too concerned about being followed though, and with that whip of hers he could definitely understand why at least in some respect. Still, he couldn’t believe how easy this was turning out; and if his luck held he might be able to get the astrolabe back himself and redeem himself for last night.</p><p>She was heading for the jungle that surrounded the port town. A bit odd. There was nothing out here except… well, jungle. Maybe she had a camp out here someplace? Or was planning to meet someone out here? It didn’t really matter, either way he’d have to make sure to leave a trail for the rest of the crew to follow if they came along to try and find him. He kept the distance between himself and the pirate woman, making sure to duck behind trees and bushes large enough to hide him from her sight, snapping a few small branches in the direction they were heading; and stopping only occasionally to use his knife to leave relevant markings on a tree or two.</p><p>MK ducked behind a tree, holding his breath as she came to a sudden stop and turned back. He stayed stock still, only breathing again once he was sure he could avoid gasping from the initial startle, and only dared to peek around the tree he hid behind when he heard the foliage ahead of them rustle. He breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that her moving on meant she didn’t see him, which meant he just had to keep following--</p><p>He froze at seeing that she had disappeared entirely.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What the…?” MK looked around, even behind him, to see where she had gone. But there was no sign, nor trace, not even in the dirt where she’d been standing. The tracks just stopped! So where did she…?</p><p>Another crack that made him jump, the feeling of something tightening sharply around his ankle, followed by a sharp yank, one that sent him crashing to the ground before pulling him upwards into the air by that same ankle. He yelped aloud, unable to keep the sound from erupting from his mouth as he was hoisted into the air and left swinging like a pinata by one leg.</p><p>“Hey!” MK yelped arms flailing out around him before reaching up and attempting to free his leg from the whip coiled around it. </p><p>“I wouldn’t, if I were you.” </p><p>MK froze again temporarily when he felt cold steel stretch across his throat, letting himself fall backward enough to look at the woman; who stood, whip tight in one hand to hold him up and a blade in the other, glaring at him. MK glared back, unable to keep from making an aggravated, almost pouting sound at her.</p><p>“Seriously?! You use a metal whip and a knife?! Oh come on, that’s just cheating!” he whined.</p><p>“All’s fair when you’re a pirate, lad,” she said. </p><p>“Yeah, yeah, I know, we make our own rules, the code is more guidelines, all that stuff…” MK said with a roll of his eyes. </p><p>She let out a sigh. “How about we skip past the banter and get to the point; who are you and why are you following me?”</p><p>Shoot. MK had to think fast. Typically he had at least one of three go-to answers to a question like this… they usually worked really well on Red, but this wasn’t Red. This was someone with a blade at his throat and a crazy looking blue, metal whip around his leg, hanging him from a tree. He would have to come up with something else to save his neck… literally.</p><p>“I, uh… I-It’s nothing, really! I saw the way you handled yourself in the town back there and I… well, it was really cool! I wanted to ask if you could… you know, teach me how you… did that thing you did!” MK said, putting on as genuine a smile as he could.</p><p>“Oh really? Which thing was that?” she asked, lowering the blade only so she could crouch down and look at him at the same level. MK began to sweat. “For someone who wanted to learn a simple wrist flick, you sure were intent on not being seen back there…”</p><p>“...Okay, okay!” MK sighed, letting himself sag in the hold of the whip. “It was my friend who was watching you, he thought you were cute, but he’s pants at talking to girls so he asked me to do it for him! Happy!?”</p><p>She choked down what was undoubtedly a laugh. He wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or not, but he was willing to take what he got. </p><p>“Can you let me down now? All my blood is rushing to my head!” he whined. Unbeknownst to her, he had one last trick up his sleeve, but it all relied on her letting him down, and hopefully she bought his second excuse so he could pull it.</p><p>After a pause, she spoke again, and he felt slack on his ankle. “Fine.”</p><p>“Thanks, I--” his expression of gratitude was cut off by a painful grunt as he fell to the ground beneath him with a hard thud. He rolled himself over and onto his knees as she stood back to full height, coiling up the whip again.</p><p>Go time.</p><p>“Ouch! Did you really have to just drop me!?” he asked, starting to stand, only to bite back a cry of pain and fall backwards again, this time clutching his leg where the whip had been coiled around it. “Oh come on!”</p><p>“What’s wrong?” she asked, an annoyed, but surprised tone in her voice.</p><p>MK grumbled to make it sound like he was swearing under his breath. “Your whip must have dislocated something…” he growled at her.</p><p>She sighed, rolling her eyes and reaching down to offer him a hand up, the same hand that should have been resting on her whip. </p><p>Just what he was waiting for.</p><p>MK took her hand firmly, typical of someone preparing to hoist themselves up with another’s aid, but instead he pulled as hard as he could, prankly yanking on her arm while his “injured” leg shot out forward at hers, knocking her feet out from under her. She fell with a startled cry, MK using her initial shock from the fall to twist and roll the both of them so that she was pinned beneath him; arm above her head so that she couldn’t reach for her whip again. He reached behind him and pulled out the small dagger he kept with him, intending to put it to her throat only as a means to keep her still, but to his surprise it was met with her own before he could set it in place. He’d been so focused on the whip, and just keeping her from using it again that he forgot about the knife entirely. But with how they were locked together now, it wasn’t like it was that big of a problem.</p><p>“You little sneak…!” she hissed, accent flaring with the anger in her voice.</p><p>“Easy, I don’t want to hurt you! I just want the astrolabe you stole!” MK hissed back, arm straining to hold her down as she struggled. “Hand it over and I’ll let you alone!”</p><p>“Pirate’s honor?”</p><p>“Of course!”</p><p>“Then no deal!” she growled, giving one hard, last effort shove to push him off of her. But MK was ready for it; all his training with Wukong hadn’t been for naught, after all.</p><p>He leaned back, using his weight to drag her up and off balance, still keeping his grip on her wrist so she couldn’t go for the whip. He briefly tucked the knife he held into his teeth, using the sudden momentum from their roll to flip her up and over him in a way that he had complete control of her movement. With another twist of his arm, and making sure to sweep his legs the right way, he flipped her onto her stomach, with her arm twisted behind her and him now sitting on her back. He heard her swear in what he assumed was Irish Gaelic repeatedly as he took the dagger out of his teeth again.</p><p>“Phew! Good thing Wukong’s training paid off,” he said to himself, before pressing the blade to her cheek to still her as she struggled. “Look, I really don’t want to hurt you! If I did, I would have by now, so just, let me have the astrolabe and we can both just walk away without any bad feelings, alright?”</p><p>He paused as she arched her head to look at him with a skeptical look, and he felt himself blush a bit sheepishly.</p><p>“...Okay, maybe some bad feelings, but hey, give me credit, I’m trying here!” he said.</p><p>She sighed heavily and with agitation lacing her voice, letting her head flop forward slightly into the dirt and grass beneath them. “I don’t have it.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“I said I don’t have it!” she snapped back at him. “Do you really think I’d be dense enough to have it one me with soldiers searching almost everyone in town?!”</p><p>“Well then what did you do with it?” MK asked, pulling the blade of the dagger back just enough to avoid cutting into her cheek. She grumbled under her breath and he sighed, pressing it back to her cheek with just the slightest bit more pressure. “Come on, I meant it when I said I don’t want to hurt you…”</p><p>“There’s a mile long beach south of here that’s right littered with rocky crags and tidal pools. That’s where I stashed it.”</p><p>“Hm… that’s actually pretty smart.” MK said, though he couldn’t deny the annoyance he felt. “It just means I’m gonna have to have you lead me to it yourself, rather than letting you go right away like I was hoping to.”</p><p>“So it would seem,” the woman hissed up at him.</p><p>MK sighed, briefly looking over his shoulder, half hoping someone from the crew would show up by now, thanks to the trail he left, but he couldn’t count on Pigsy finding them right away and filling them all in. He was probably on his own for now. Not that he couldn’t handle it… just so long as he kept his wits about him with this one.</p><p>“Okay, I’m going to let you up, and you’re going to lead me to the astrolabe,” he said, sheathing the dagger but keeping his grip on her arm and staying on top of her. “But!” he added, using his now free hand to detach the whip from the holster on her belt. “I’m going to be keeping this with me so you can’t use it!”</p><p>With that, he got up off of her, quickly, and stepped back to let her up. He kept his hands tightly around the whip, examining it carefully and briefly as she pulled herself up onto her feet again and brushed the dirt off her vest.</p><p>It was like nothing he’d ever seen before; a light metal that felt way less durable than it probably was, segmented to allow the whip itself to stretch when swung the right way, and probably allowing it to cut all the more cleanly too. But what struck him the most was the color of the metal. It was a deep, blue-green color, veined with lighter colors that almost glowed and flashed like the surface of water under direct sunlight. He couldn’t help but whistle at the unique object before turning his attention back to the woman as she faced him, a scowl plastered onto her face.</p><p>“Look, if it makes you feel better, I’ll make sure that you get some sort of reward to compensate, alright?”</p><p>“Keep talking like that and people will think you’re too soft to be a real pirate, lad. Now are we gonna move on or do you intend to make me chat with you for the rest of the afternoon?” she asked.</p><p>“Fine.” MK said with a sigh, gesturing her forward with his free hand. “Let’s go.”</p><p>He followed her through the jungle, keeping a tight grip on the whip in hand, an eye on her, and another eye behind them as they walked. He was still making sure to leave a trail so his crew could find them, but the fact that they hadn’t yet was really making him nervous. He tried not to show it, though. He tried his best to make it look like he was doing his best to memorize their surroundings, or something, just in case she pulled any tricks.</p><p>He glanced down at the whip in his hand again curiously, then back at her, clearing his throat a bit.</p><p>“So… what crew are you from?” he asked, the extended, awkward silence making him even more nervous, so he decided to try and break it. She wasn’t cooperating though, remaining silent. “Or do you work alone? Solo pirate, or just the treasure hunter type?”</p><p>He heard her sigh and could swear by the way her head tilted back slightly that she just rolled her eyes at him. He huffed in annoyance, rolling his own eyes for a moment before propping his arms behind his head casually.</p><p>“You’re from Ireland, right?” he asked, deciding to change tactics. “I can tell from your accent. From what part?”</p><p>“...My kin originally hailed from Louth, but my grandfather was born in Galway,” she finally replied, causing MK to perk up a little.</p><p>“Ah, I’ve heard of Galway, but not Louth… where’s that?”</p><p>“Further East. It was once known as Ulster...” she said, then clicked her tongue and looked back at him. “Is there a point to these questions of yours?”</p><p>MK shrugged. “Not really… just curious,” he replied. She raised an eyebrow at him.</p><p>“You’re an odd fish, you know that?”</p><p>MK shrugged again, continuing to follow her. “And you’re not? I mean… don’t take it the wrong way but I’ve never heard of a pirate using a whip before,” he said, glancing at the whip in his hands again briefly. “And what the heck is it made of? I’ve never seen metal like this before...”</p><p>“That’s what makes it so advantageous,” she said, looking back at him with a proud smirk. “No one who knows as much as they think they do about pirates would ever see it coming.”</p><p>“Can’t really argue with that…” MK said quietly, mind flashing back to the previous night, when she first caught him off guard, then looking at her again. “But you didn’t answer my last question.”</p><p>“And I don’t intend to. It wouldn’t be professional if I gave away all my trade secrets,” she said, smirking at him again and tapping a finger to her nose.</p><p>“Fair enough… but if you won’t tell me what it’s made of, then will you at least tell me where you got it?” he asked.</p><p>She shrugged, stopping to turn and face him, eyes falling on the whip itself. “I stole it from another pirate on my first venture as one, a long, long time ago. It’s got plenty of sentimental value for me…”</p><p>MK squinted at her and clutched the whip tightly. “Oh no you don’t,” he said. “You’re not getting this back until I have the astrolabe!”</p><p>“Worth a try,” she said with a defeated sigh, starting to turn back around, when she stopped, looking beyond MK and scowling slightly.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Your friends found us at last, it seems,” she said.</p><p>MK tightened his grip on the whip, making sure she wouldn’t make a grab for it as he turned around to look and see for himself. It was about time that they caught up! He had this well in hand, but he sure could use the extra help if he needed it…</p><p>A shadow darted behind a tree, and another behind a large stone, a bit too slow for him to not notice them, and to not ascertain that they were not members of his crew.</p><p>But he unfortunately did know who they were.</p><p>“Down!” he whispered loudly, turning and tackling the woman to the ground as gently as he could, while still trying to keep the whip out of her reach.</p><p>“What the bloody hell do you think you’re--?!” she almost snapped aloud, if not for MK slapping his free hand over her mouth.</p><p>“Sssh!” he whispered harshly, looking over his shoulder briefly before crawling off her enough to drag her behind a tree. “Those buccaneers are no friends of mine!” he whispered again, then looked at her, letting go of her mouth. “Unless they’re yours?”</p><p>She shook her head, a surprising look of alarm crossing her features. “But if they’re not yours, then whose are they?” she asked, voice hushed now.</p><p>“It’s a long story.” MK said, swallowing. “But basically their captain is… and old “friend” of my captain’s, and they…” he paused and sighed. “They know I’m important to him… so they’re likely here for me.”</p><p>“Well, if I’d known I was being held hostage by a celebrity I would have been more polite,” she actually joked, craning her neck to peer around the tree they were hidden behind.</p><p>MK bit his lip and chewed nervously, fist clenching around the whip in his hand, also craning his neck to look around the tree and watch as what looked like nearly a dozen different shapes and shadows seemed to be lurking just a cable’s length away. It wasn’t hard to imagine what would happen if they caught up with them, and that was where his brain did that thing where he started to think up all the different scenarios that he didn’t like to think about…</p><p>Firstly, he wasn’t sure if he could trust this woman to fight by his side if they were caught. For all he knew, she was actually part of Macaque’s crew and was leading him into a trap all along… but then again she didn’t seem the type. And another thing that bothered him was that if she wasn’t part of Macaque’s crew, he would be convinced she was with him, and there would be absolutely no way he’d be able to convince Macaque to spare her or just let her go. And if she wasn’t really part of this then he didn’t want to get her involved… even if she was his only key to getting the astrolabe back.</p><p>Stupid conscience…</p><p>He shoved the whip back into her hands quietly, crouching in a way that prepared him to jump up and run in another second. He watched her eyes go wide in confusion at his action, looking at him in further confusion as he took this stance.</p><p>“What are you…?”</p><p>“Look, they’re after me, not you.” MK said, past bared teeth. “So I’ll draw them off, and you make a run for it.”</p><p>“Don’t be foolish there’s at least a dozen of them!” she whispered back, but made no move to stop him. MK shrugged with what--to her shock--appeared to be a genuine smile.</p><p>“Heh, being foolish is kind of one of my better qualities!” he said, taking off before she could protest on his behalf again.</p><p>He didn’t really think as to which direction he was running in, just so long as he was gaining as much distance as he could. He didn’t really have a plan at this point, but he knew the coast was nearby. If he could make it there he had a good chance of being able to double back towards town and either losing his pursuers in the crowds or getting the attention of his crewmates. But of course, he had to actually make it without getting caught first… Pigsy was right, he should have probably waited for the others, but there was no time to worry about that now; he had to keep moving!</p><p>A shot rang out and he heard a branch he ducked beneath snap as he ran. He bit back a yelp and changed direction, sliding down a ditch in his path before continuing to run. That was way too close for comfort! But he liked to imagine that Macaque wanted him alive for whatever reason and was now either scolding the pirate whose shot came too close or cutting him down in some way…</p><p>And then the thought of actually being taken alive by one of Wukong’s greatest enemies made his stomach lurch. As did the thought of whatever the outcome of being captured alive would eventually be! That thought alone spurred him onward, pumping him with adrenaline that gave him a burst of speed that was just enough for his pursuers to lose sight of him…</p><p>But at a cost that he realized only too late.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It wasn’t until he was tumbling off the edge of the cliff that he even realized that it was there. The fall itself wasn’t fatal, just by the distance, but he hit the rocky ground beneath hard. Hard enough for something in his bones to crack, painfully. He cried out loudly and abruptly in pain, though manage to strangle the remaining sound by slapping his hand over his mouth, body curling on itself as his free hand shot to his now--quite clearly broken--leg.</p><p>No. No, no, no, not like this!</p><p>With some difficulty and still strangling any pain filled screams that tried to escape his vocal cords, he managed to sit himself up and drag himself to the base of the cliff. Tears of agony and frustration stung the corners of his eyes as he pressed himself against the rock, looking up and praying to whatever god was listening that none of his pursuers saw or heard him fall. Especially now that he couldn’t run anymore. Not with a freshly busted leg!</p><p>He chanced a glance away from the top of the cliff above to look at the leg, grimacing a bit at seeing it twisted in a way it… really shouldn’t have been. He’d had broken bones before… but usually from stupid stuff. Stupid mistakes or antics on his part, things he could laugh about later with his friends, or even be scolded by them for, but this was different. Serious. His friends weren’t here to help him set this, or to help him limp to safety, he was on his own.</p><p>On his own with a least half a dozen pirates led by one who would probably use him to get to his friends now that he was an easy capture with this stupid, broken leg!</p><p>A shadow briefly graced the top of the cliff, vanishing before he could get a good look, or hide himself against the rock better, and he felt his heart stop.</p><p>They’d seen him.</p><p>They would be down here any second.</p><p>This was it…</p><p>MK hesitantly reached for the dagger he had with him, hands still shaking from the pain in his leg. He wasn’t going to possibly meet his maker and say he didn’t go down without a fight, even if it was going to be a brief one…</p><p>“That looks bad, lad.”</p><p>The way she had snuck up on him was so quiet he began to wonder if she wasn’t some sort of ghost. He gasped aloud, catching his breath so he didn’t scream from surprise, his own held silence further helped by her placing a hand gently over his mouth, two fingers over her own with a whisper of “shush”, to him. MK set down the dagger as she pulled her hand away, sniffling and choking back a pained sob as the woman with the whip knelt beside him.</p><p>“Wh-What… are you doing here…?” he asked, wincing as she--as tenderly as possible--examined his leg.</p><p>“Irish stubbornness,” she replied. “I wouldn’t be a good daughter of Eireann if I just let you face such odds on your own.”</p><p>MK couldn’t fight a smile and a single, happy sob that escaped him. “H-Heh… thanks…” he said.</p><p>“Don’t thank me yet,” she said, pulling one of his arms over her shoulders to help him up. “Now let’s get under some cover and take care of that leg…”</p><p>The way the high tides had beaten the shore in past years left the cliff face jagged, full of holes and crags, plenty of places to hide, if you could get to them easily. Which, without help, there was no way he could have. The woman managed to help him under a ledge that would be just enough to hide them both, laying him out flat carefully, so as not to agitate his leg further. Once he was set down as comfortably as possible, she left his side briefly to pick up some pieces of driftwood they had passed on their way there. After that, she returned to his side, sitting in front of him, hands hovering over his leg.</p><p>“I have to set this,” she said seriously. “Brace yourself.”</p><p>MK nodded, bracing himself as instructed, fists clenching at his sides and gritting his teeth together. She nodded back, carefully taking him by his injured leg, and twisting it abruptly with a “snap” that he felt shoot up his whole body. He didn’t scream, though. He didn’t make a peep. It wasn’t the first time he’d broken something, after all. That didn’t mean it didn’t hurt, of course. It hurt a lot! He had to squeeze his eyes shut to fight a few tears that threatened to leak out, but he kept quiet, fists finally unclenching as the pain subsided to a more bearable level.</p><p>“You’re a brave one,” the woman said, an impressed tone to her voice as she undid the sash around her waist, tearing some of it off, which she then wrapped around his leg.</p><p>“Thought I was foolish?” MK asked, voice a bit cracked, but still managing a smile.</p><p>“Aye, that too. Still, not bad.”</p><p>MK chuckled softly as he watched her use the pieces of driftwood she’d gathered, and the torn parts of her sash to make a sturdy splint for his leg. He felt a few twinges of pain as she tightened the knots, making sure they would hold, but he was grateful that the worst was over at least. She seemed to be too as she sighed and brushed her hands together.</p><p>“There, that’ll hold for a while,” she said matter of factly. </p><p>“Thank you,” said MK, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m… sorry, about earlier. With the whole… taking you hostage, thing...”</p><p>She shrugged. “Eh, pirate’s life.” MK managed a chuckle.</p><p>“Fair enough,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “But seriously, thank you for the help… um... I don’t think I caught your name?”</p><p>“Matilda,” she said, extending her hand to him. “But my friends call me Sea Cat.”</p><p>“Xiaotian.” MK replied as he took her hand and shook it. “But my friends just call me MK.”</p><p>“Cute.” Sea Cat said with a chuckle as they released hands. MK coughed down a blush he felt coming on. </p><p>“So, um… now what? I won’t be able to run with his leg…”</p><p>“Best thing to do is to just lie low until it starts to get dark.” Sea Cat said, settling herself down opposite MK. “Easier to slip past them that way.”</p><p>“Not if they find us before then.” MK said.</p><p>“Who said anything about finding us?” Sea Cat asked with a shrug, making him tilt his head in confusion at her. “Once I’m done catching my breath, I’m headed back up the cliffs.”</p><p>“You’re just going to leave me here?” MK asked, a bit horrified.</p><p>“With that leg? Don’t insult my honor!” Sea Cat said, winking at him. “What I’m going to do is try to leave a false trail for them to follow so they don’t find this little hideaway. Once it’s clear again, I’ll come back for you and help you back into town.”</p><p>MK sighed a sigh of relief he didn’t realize he had been holding in. “Oh,” he said. </p><p>“You’ll have to stay put until I get back though. And stay quiet.”</p><p>“Don’t worry, I will. But…” MK paused as she started to get up, crawling past him carefully so as to not accidentally jossle his leg. “What if your plan doesn’t work?”</p><p>She turned back to look at him. “I’m sure you’ll think of something,” she said, giving him a smile and another wink before vanishing from sight simply by stepping round the bend. MK opened his mouth to shout after her in protest, but decided against it, instead sighing loudly and leaning against the side of the small alcove.</p><p>“Bloody Irish she-pirate…” he murmured to himself.<br/>~~~<br/>“Any sign of him?” Wukong asked, hardly giving Sandy and Pigsy the time to catch their breath before demanding an answer.</p><p>“No, and I’m afraid there’s worse news!” Sandy said, frowning down at his captain.</p><p>“Ugh that’s just great…” Wukong rubbed his temples with his fingertips and shook his head. “I mean I knew the kid could be impulsive and all, but to go running off on his own like that without… wait, what worse news?”</p><p>“We spotted some of Macaque’s crew ashore, and it looks like they already know we’re here.” Sandy replied, still frowning.</p><p>“And MK?” Wukong asked, heckles raising visibly.</p><p>“We’re not sure… but yeah, it looks like they know he’s off on his own somewhere and are looking for him, too.”</p><p>Wukong swore something under his breath, punching a fist into his open palm. “Then we need to move fast. If we find and follow them, chances are they could lead us to MK!”</p><p> </p><p>“That might be what Macaque is counting on,” Tang said calmly. “This whole thing could be a scheme he’s cooked up to use MK to get to you.”</p><p>“I know… but we can’t just do nothing.”</p><p>“That almost goes without saying…”</p><p>“Then what are we waiting for?” Mei said, drumming her fingers against the hilt of her sword like she was itching for a fight. “Let’s gear up and go!”</p><p>“Mei’s right, everyone grab your gear and be ready for anything!” Wukong said, grabbing his hat and putting it on firmly, his golden eyes glimmering under the shadow of it’s brim as if telling anyone who had seen it, that wherever MK had ended up, they were determined to find him and get him back safe.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>MK, meanwhile, was still in the alcove on the beach, fingers rapping against his arm in anxiousness. He’d been waiting for what was possibly hours in that little crook in the rock for Sea Cat to return, if she actually planned to return it all. The sun was starting to sink in the sky, turning it a deep, blood orange color, and the first of the stars were already starting to appear. That alone was an indicator she had been gone a long time, and he couldn’t be sure but he must have dozed off at least once or twice while waiting for her to return, despite the gravity of the whole situation. And he couldn’t help but wonder if she was alright, or if something had happened to her…</p><p>He kept trying to tell himself that someone who could essentially disappear as if out of thin air like she could would be fine, but there was that nagging thought in the back of his head; what if?</p><p>What if Macaque’s men got the drop on her? What if they had her cornered before she could get back to where he was? Or what if she had just abandoned him all together? Again, she didn’t seem the type, especially after she actually came back to help him earlier, but he didn’t like the feeling of just having to sit here and wait. Still, what could he do?</p><p>He glanced down at the splint on his leg and he sighed, leaning his head back against the rock behind him and looking out over what he could see of the beach. The others were probably worried sick about him right now. Especially Mei… actually no, Mei wouldn’t be worrying… well, she would, in her own way. A way that kind of made her… aggressive wasn’t really the right word for it. It was more… vengeful, in a way? She would--if they let her--literally be willing to tear apart anyone who hurt or made her worry about someone she cared for. Wukong, maybe? The monkey definitely did have a calm and cool side to him, but there was always an air of concern about him when it came to MK’s well being, one that was a lot like Mei’s only… somehow scarier.</p><p>Well, it didn’t really matter who was worrying about him the most, since right now it didn’t matter.</p><p>He’d had it with waiting.</p><p>It was probably a stupid decision on his part, but he couldn’t do it anymore. </p><p>With a strained grunt, MK pulled himself to his feet, careful not to put too much weight on his wounded leg. Using the cliff wall for support, he limped out of the small alcove, glancing up carefully to make sure no one was going to spot him as he did, then limping onward. He happened past the same pile of driftwood that Sea Cat had gotten the materials for his splint from, and reached down for a particularly long piece that would serve as a makeshift walking stick for the time being. It was just long and stout enough to support him, and if he absolutely had to he could use it as a weapon, he could. He couldn’t help but just feel a little pathetic though; how helpless he must have looked like this, and he hated it! Sure, it couldn’t be helped, but he’d rather have Wukong’s gear with him, broken leg or no broken leg… at least then he might have the extra courage he needed to move faster.</p><p>He kept having to stop to look up at the top of the cliff, making sure no one from Macaque’s crew would see him. To his relief, everytime he looked, he saw exactly that. Maybe Sea Cat’s plan to lay a false trail really worked! And if it did then there was a good chance that he was home free, as soon as he made his way across the shore, that is.</p><p>He remembered Sea Cat had described the beach as one full of tidal pools and rocky outcrops, and given what he’d seen so far, he had to watch his step. It did cross his mind to stop and look for the astrolabe in any likely place he came across, but for the sake of not being spotted by unfriendly eyes, he decided against it. Especially since, having to walk as carefully as he did with his leg, his pace was already much slower and he was growing tired very quickly.</p><p>“Maybe I should have waited…” he mumbled to himself, stopping to seat himself against a large stone that stuck out of the sand. “Like she said to…”</p><p>That thought mulled through his mind slowly as he paused to nurse his splinted leg. She probably would have ended up back at the cave, seeing it empty and wondering if something had happened to him while she was gone, then probably go looking for him...</p><p>Damn.</p><p>No, he couldn’t think like that! She seemed like a smart girl, there was every chance she could track him down somehow just like she did before he fell from the cliff. And even if she chose not to, Macaque wasn’t after her or the astrolabe. There was every chance he would just let her go when he realized he was chasing the wrong pirate. Just as much as there was a chance she would sell out where he was to Macaque in exchange for her own life. Yeah, no. She didn’t seem like the type to do that…</p><p>MK looked up as the spray from the sea dusted his face. The tide was starting to get higher as the sun got lower. He was going to have to get moving and just hope that Sea Cat was able to get on alright. He sighed and hoisted himself back up, using the piece of driftwood to lessen the pressure on his broken leg. He took a few steps back in the direction of town, then stopped again. His conscience was doing that thing where it was eating at him again, telling him he should have stayed in the alcove and waited, but he shook it off, giving his own head a few, sharp whacks with his palm. There was no point in going back now, even if he really could trust this Sea Cat, and even if he could, what good would it do him to go back on his own?</p><p>So he made up his mind that the plan at the moment was to try to get to town, and get the others to help. If she was in trouble, he could repay her by getting the others to help in a possible rescue mission than do something stupid like go all by himself with a broken bloody leg!</p><p>“Come on, MK!” he grunted to himself as he attempted to pick up the pace of his very obvious limp. “You can make it! You’re Monkey King’s successor, this is nothing! You’ve faced a lot worse than this before!”</p><p>“Kind of makes you wonder just what Wukong is willing to let you go through, doesn’t it?”</p><p>MK froze in place, almost falling forward if not for clinging to his makeshift walking stick. He almost even braced himself on his bad leg in the wrong way, swallowing a yelp-like sound that threatened to crawl up and out of his throat. He didn’t have to turn around to know it was Macaque, he recognized the voice all too well.</p><p>Okay. Don’t panic. Remember to breathe. </p><p>MK swallowed again and sank to his knees slowly, minding his broken leg as carefully as he could while doing so and feigned dropping the walking stick to his side. His back was still to Macaque, but glancing to his side just slightly, he could see his reflection clear as day in a small tidal pool that sat beside him.</p><p>He had a sword drawn, not surprising, really, but MK could see it clearly in the reflection, which was all he needed. That, and for Macaque to take a step forward… like that!</p><p>Using the reflection as a reference point, MK snatched up the walking stick again and swung it behind him as hard as he could, hearing and feeling a thud as it impacted with Macaque’s shin. He heard the darkly dressed pirate yelp, saw him stagger in the reflection in the pool, giving him just enough time to spin around, stick still in hand and swung up to knock the sword from Macaque’s hand, catching it in his free one. His leg may have been broken, he may have been in a lot of pain, and tired, but he was by no means helpless! If he was going to be taken at all, he was going to be taken only after he put up a fight, at least.</p><p>“You’ve picked up a new trick or two since we last saw each other, huh?” Macaque growled at him, briefly nursing his sore shin as MK pulled himself up enough to stand on his own two feet.</p><p>“Worried that this would be too easy?” MK asked, unable to really help the bravado.</p><p>“Actually, yes.” Macaque replied as he stood to full height again. “Wouldn’t be any fun if it was too easy, after all.”</p><p>“Well I’m in no mood for games today! Especially one of your making!” MK growled, taking a careful step back; careful not to show how badly his leg was bothering him, and careful not to let it be bothered by stepping the wrong way on it.</p><p>Macaque clicked his tongue, tutting at MK, shaking his head as though in disappointment, and stepping forward as he spoke. “Well, that’s kind of rude… after I went to all this trouble, too! All that planning and preparation--”</p><p>He stopped when MK forced the gap between them to remain at arm’s length by holding the tip of his own sword up to his throat. After a pause, in which he looked like he was scrutinizing the scene before him, he opened his mouth to say more, but MK knew better than to let him speak again. He turned the blade so the edge was now pointed up and slightly--just very slightly--cut into Macaque’s chin, drawing only a trickle of blood.</p><p>“I think I quite literally see your point.” Macaque said, actually stepping back, to MK’s relief. The older pirate nursed his chin a little, raising an eyebrow at seeing the speckling of blood on his finger. MK took that opportunity to relax himself enough that he could take another few, tentative steps back, increasing the distance between the two of them. </p><p>“Still, I have to admit… I’m impressed.” Macaque said, staying rooted to his spot, watching MK inch further back away from him. “You’ve certainly evolved since we last met. A broken leg you’ve done a pretty decent job setting by yourself, and yet even with that injury you still managed to elude and disarm me! Really, lad, I am very impressed. Well done!”</p><p>MK ignored the praise for the most part, though he couldn’t deny the slightest twinge of pride hearing it, however what caught his attention most was Macaque’s remark about setting the leg himself. That brought him a slight sense of relief, because it meant that Sea Cat had managed to go undetected… where she was now was still a question, of course, but it made him feel a little better, at least.</p><p>“Thanks, but I don’t need praise from you. Nor want it!” MK said, taking another step back and keeping an eye on Macaque to make sure he didn’t step forward again. Macaque shook his head with a chuckle.</p><p>“Ah, well, that’s too bad. Wukong really made sure to teach you some choice stuff…”</p><p>MK adjusted his injured leg to take another step back, only to find himself bracing for a surprise attack from Macaque as the other suddenly lunged at him with speed he didn’t think was even possible. He tried to turn the blade in his hand so that it would catch Macaque right across the throat, but to his astonishment--no, to his horror--Macaque instead caught the blade between his teeth, jaws clamping down so hard on the metal that MK felt the vibration even through the hilt. He yelped in surprise, stumbling back against the side of the cliff as the blade then snapped in Macaque’s teeth, leaving him with nothing but a sharpened stump of metal and a hilt.</p><p>“But he didn’t teach you enough!” Macaque said after spitting out the broken blade and lunging for MK again.</p><p>MK lifted his driftwood walking stick, trying to swing it at Macaque, only for Macaque to swat it out of his path and sock MK in the jaw hard with his fist, causing the boy’s head to thump back against the side of the cliff as a result. Now stunned, MK could only slump down a little, falling unwillingly into Macaque’s grip; albeit for just a moment before the pirate let him fall forward, landing face first into one of the tidal pools that dotted the shoreline. MK briefly floundered, trying to pull himself up, but Macaque stamped his boot onto the back of his head, holding him under the shallow water for a few moments before dragging him back up. MK’s senses were left swimming, his vision darkening from the initial impact of bumping his head and the denial of air almost immediately after. He could only just register being forced to try and stand, held up limply by the collar of his shirt, with Macaque’s shadowy silhouette hovering over him before nearly blacking out all together.</p><p>He was still fading in and out of it as he was dragged off. He did his best to stay awake, but his head was spinning so much it was hard to tell if he was about to actually pass out or if he was about to snap out of it. He could only see flashes and blurs of shapes as he was dragged, still by his shirt collar most probably, somewhere along the same beach, and he was honestly thankful that he was so out of it, because he was sure from the way he was being dragged that Macaque was not taking care to mind his broken leg.</p><p>It was only when he was finally dropped to the ground, on his back, with the wind flying out of him as a result, did his senses completely start to return to him. He coughed and sputtered, groaning slightly as he felt himself turned onto his stomach, before being hoisted to his knees and his hands forced behind his back, where they were then secured firmly with rope. He winced in annoyance as Macaque smacked his cheeks in a way usually used to wake someone up from such a daze.</p><p>“You still with us, MK?” he asked, smirking at him.</p><p>“Really wish I wasn’t, but you can stop now.” MK growled in response. A quick glance around himself with his eyes told him that this was where Macaque and his crew had set up camp, largely thanks to the fire that burned only a few steps away from where he was. But it was one that was well placed; a section of the beach that was sheltered on both sides by tall crags of rock in addition to the cliffs surrounding it. Great. Just like Macaque to choose the perfect place to hide that would be almost impossible to find unless you were actively looking for it, or already knew where to find it.</p><p>He was beginning to wish he’d stayed in that alcove she left him in.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What are you going to do with me?”  MK asked, looking up at Macaque with as brave a look as he could muster, and trying not to let his question sound hesitant. Then, with a burst of courage, he scoffed. “Wait, don’t tell me; you’re going to use me as bait? Why am I not surprised?”</p><p>Macaque grabbed his chin, squeezing hard and pulling him up almost to his feet again. “If you can stay on my good side long enough to keep yourself alive, that is,” he growled before releasing MK and letting him fall back to his knees, the boy biting back a wince as his leg suffered from the impact. He watched as Macaque turned back and walked towards the fire, and jerked himself away as one of the captain’s crew tried to take him by the arm and pull him up again.</p><p>“Why not just kill me and get it over with?” he hollered after Macaque. He didn’t really have a plan at this point, just to try and stall, and he remembered from what Wukong told him, the best way to keep Macaque distracted was to keep him talking. And while it may not have been the best line of conversation, it would have to do.</p><p>“You know that Monkey King knows you better than anyone,” he continued. “So chances of whatever trap you have planned won’t actually pan out well for you.”</p><p>“Who said anything about this being a trap?” Macaque asked him with a mere glance over the shoulder, stoking the fire with a stick he picked up.</p><p>MK raised an eyebrow. “I mean it’s kind of obvious. You said it yourself. I’m bait.”</p><p>“Bait, yes, but I’m not planning on setting any ambush or anything.” Macaque said, stirring the stick into the fire. “Too messy.”</p><p>MK’s eyebrow remained raised as he pondered Macaque’s words, watching as the monkey briefly paced around the fire, barking a few orders to some of his crew that appeared to be slacking in their guard duties. If Macaque wasn’t setting an ambush, then what was he planning? The spot chosen for their camp was essentially perfect for setting one up, especially if he wanted Wukong and the others to come storming in after sweating about not being able to find them after so long… and it wasn’t like Macaque to not want to get “down and dirty” in a fight, as it were. He wasn’t known for being neat about things… He’d want to make a big show of...</p><p>Wait.</p><p>Of course.</p><p>Oh… no. Oh no.</p><p>He wasn’t sure if he was right in this way of thinking, but if he was, it made his blood run cold. Macaque wasn’t planning an ambush for the others whenever they got here, he was planning a front row seat show for them.</p><p>The moment they got here, he was most likely going to be either tortured or killed right where they could see, and not get to him in time. It was twisted, but perfect for someone like Macaque, and he certainly wouldn’t put it past him. After all, since they’d met, and he realized that MK was Wukong’s successor, he had been obsessed with the idea of getting rid of his greatest rival’s inheritor, someone who was like a son to him. What better way to do it, what sweet revenge, than to do it where it could be seen by everyone he cared about?</p><p>MK’s face must have paled or contorted into a horrified look of realization, because Macaque was looking back at him now, smirking like the cat that just swallowed the canary; no, like the cat that could still feel the canary alive and trapped in it’s stomach.</p><p>“Something wrong, lad?” Macaque asked, voice laced in obviously fake concern. “You got quiet all of a sudden.” MK suppressed a shudder and scowled at him, teeth baring together in an effort to appear defiant.</p><p>“No,” he growled, unable to think of anything more witty at the moment. Macaque gave a dark chuckle, lifting and examining the burnt stick as though it held great interest for him.</p><p>“Looks to me like you figured things out pretty quick there,” he said. “That kind of spoils the whole point of the surprise you know.”</p><p>“Maybe you should be less obvious about your intentions next time then.” MK said flatly, body beginning to feel numb due to the sense of dread that he felt, though his heart started to pound when Macaque turned back to him, still holding the burning stick.</p><p>“Hm, maybe you’re right… still, it’s never too late to spice things up, right?”</p><p>He walked back over to MK, the burning stick still in hand, and the boy lurched back, ignoring his broken leg. Macaque’s crew didn’t let him though, holding him in place, even pushing him forward towards Macaque; one of them even grabbed him by the hair, nearly ripping it clean from his scalp and yanked his head back so he was looking up at the captain.</p><p>“And I think your friends arriving to see a few, fresh burns branded onto you would be just the thing!” Macaque sniggered with glee, raising the burning piece of wood up so close to MK’s face that even with his eyes squeezed shut, he felt as though the heat alone could burn him.</p><p>FFFFZZZZ--CRACK!</p><p>Relief couldn’t even express what he felt when he heard that sound! His eyes shot open and he watched as the stick Macaque was holding was sliced in half, the flaming end sent falling safely into the sand at his feet, snuffing out upon the impact. And startled, Macaque dropped the other half, staring down at both halves in shock for a moment before spinning around.</p><p>“What the blazes?!”</p><p>The sun had set by now, so the shadows in the small, sheltered section of beach had grown and were now dancing thanks to the light from the fire Macaque’s crew had built, so seeing where the whip had come from was next to impossible. That is, until a brief blur of a shadow was seen shrinking back behind one of the larger rocks nearby. Macaque scowled with his golden eyes at the shadow, growling with bared teeth and taking a spare sword from one of his crewmen.</p><p>“Come out of there!” he demanded. He growled again when he received no response. “I said come out of there!”</p><p>“You talkin’ t’ me?”</p><p>All heads darted to another shadow almost completely opposite the one Macaque had just been shouting out, and she stepped out of the shadows, hands raised slightly in front of her, as if to appear non-threatening. MK had to stifle a snicker, seeing the bewildered expression on Macaque’s face, and as his crew had to look twice between the two spots with a similar expression. Sea Cat herself was wearing something of an amused look, slowly lowering her hands as she stepped fully out into the open, but still keeping a good distance between herself and the members of Macaque’s crew that were present.</p><p>Macaque studied her briefly, though his good eye probably lingered in places longer than it should have, before clearing his throat and putting on as calm and charming a look as he could.</p><p>“You lost, young lady?”</p><p>“No, but I think considering the majority of this company, I would prefer to be lost, thank you very much.”</p><p>Macaque inhaled sharply, as though wincing at her remark, though the expression on his face was clearly an amused one. “Oho-ho! Not bad, not bad! You’ve got a tongue like a whip, girlie!”</p><p>“Wait until you see her real one up close…” MK murmured under his breath, shooting an unseen scowl up at Macaque.</p><p>“Still, for someone who claims to not be lost, girlie, you sure picked a bad place and a time to take an evening stroll.” Macaque said, crossing his arms, his expression changing to one of scrutiny as he watched her. </p><p>Sea Cat rolled her eyes. “Oi,” she sighed with annoyance. “What is it with you men and your need to banter? You have to turn everything into a dance with some imaginary Argentine music playing in the background! If you want to ask me what I’m doing here, just bloody do it, don’t make a production of it. But here, let me save you the trouble of even that; I’m here for the young lad.”</p><p>She pointed a somewhat slack finger at MK, causing Macaque to turn and look at him curiously, with his brows raising to emphasis that curiosity. MK said nothing, just shifted his gaze to one side with his eyes and tried to feel as small as possible as all eyes had now fallen on him, until he heard Macaque titter.</p><p>“Well, well, seems like Wukong’s been teaching you how to really lay on the charm too, huh?” he asked, looking back towards Sea Cat. “As partial as I am to romantic entanglements--if that’s what this is--I certainly hope you brought something other than your figure to bargain with.”</p><p>Sea Cat shot him a scowl, hand twitching towards her whip, which was tucked against her hip in a way that was mostly out of sight, but she resisted the urge to give him a matching scar over his other eye, and reached into a small pouch she wore on the opposite hip. After digging around for it, she slowly produced an object, which, after it had a chance to catch the light from the nearby fire, was revealed to be the astrolabe. She held it out in front of her for Macaque to see well, and MK shot her a confused look, which then shot up to Macaque as he hummed in a bored way, shaking his head at Sea Cat. </p><p>“I prefer, and already have a sextant myself, lass…”</p><p>Sea Cat said nothing in reply, but instead reached forward to one of the rings on the astrolabes surface, and gave it a slight turn...</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The night around them seemed to become all the darker, then brighter all in one moment as the symbols and etchings on the astrolabe’s surface began to glow. Macaque let out a yelp of surprise, arm shooting up to cover his eyes as the glow became almost too bright to look at directly, and MK too had to turn his face away and shut his eyes; though when the light dimmed again, they both looked up, and except for the collective gasps of all present, you could have heard a pin hit the sand on that beach.</p><p>It was as though the stars themselves had descended from the skies above, the shapes of the constellations they formed with them, and had begun to dance around on the beach around them. Even the surrounding cliffs had become dusted with living, dancing figures of starlight; the beasts of the Zodiac moving like real, towering lifeforms walking the earth once more, Orion with his bow about to fire, and the Great Bear and the Little Bear tussling like playful cubs in the surf. MK couldn’t help but be enamored, mouth hanging open and his eyes wide with a child-like glee that usually was only present when he was listening to the Monkey King tell one of his adventure stories. Oh, if only the others could be here to see this! The astrolabe really was magic!</p><p>He let out an “eep” of shock as Pegasus charged over his head, in a way that he could feel it brush through his hair. Macaque too had to duck, almost too late as one of the stallion’s hooves nearly clocked right into his head, only to phase right through it, scattering briefly like the stardust it was before forming into the equine’s full leg again; and yet still he couldn’t help but feel relief at not having that hoof meet his skull, it was that real!<br/>The light from the fire returned, and the stars seemed to return to the heavens, leaving in their wake naught but shock and amazement, save for Sea Cat, who had turned the astrolabe’s rings back to their original position. </p><p>The amazement didn’t fade from his expression, even as the astral illusion did, and it clearly bled into Macaque’s voice as he looked at her, as well as the astrolabe in her hand and asked, “What is it?”</p><p>“The first piece of a puzzle,” she replied, resetting the rings on the astrolabe. “Do you like puzzles?”</p><p>“What sort of a puzzle?”</p><p>“The kind that rewards those who solve it with true immortality.” Sea Cat replied again, shrugging her shoulders, and beginning to saunter forward in a way that made her seem like the most relaxed person on that shoreline. “I mean, think about it, what’s the better way to live forever? To risk passing on a name or title to someone else? Someone who could very well be forgotten themselves if fate permits it? Or to take the extra step beyond the horizon and actually become immortal yourself? To be recognized wherever you go as an immortal, or even with time, a god?”</p><p>“Hmm…” Macaque rubbed his chin in thought, his eyes more focused on the astrolabe rather than Sea Cat herself. “Impossible as it sounds… you do paint a pretty picture,” he said. “And if I’m to understand where you’re going with this--”</p><p>“--The boy for the toy.” Sea Cat confirmed with a nod. “You catch on fast.”</p><p>Macaque finally looked away from the astrolabe and back to MK, chuckling and all too roughly ruffling the boy’s hair with a false show of affection, to which MK growled at him in response. And after a pause, he replied.</p><p>“Alright, girlie, you’ve got yourself a trade,” he said, and extended his hand outward. Sea Cat shook her head.</p><p>“Nah, ah,” she said. “Send the boy my way first. Once he’s halfway here, I’ll bring you the astrolabe.”</p><p>“Good figure and brains…” Macaque muttered, sounding almost annoyed. “Alright fine,” he said, then turned to MK, pulling him up. “On your feet then!”</p><p>MK bit back a wince as he was forced up, trying not to put any unneeded pressure on his broken leg, especially as he hobbled forward at Macaque’s prodding. He shot Sea Cat a look, subtly shaking his head at her in warning, hoping she would pick up that in his mind he was screaming not to trust Macaque. She just raised her free hand towards him, ushering him to walk forward with a gesture made by her fingers. He groaned and winced as he limped forward, careful not to lose his footing in the sand, as he moved. His hands were still tied behind his back, Macaque of course didn’t have the courtesy to cut him loose, so he had to be careful of his balance too. He kept moving forward until Sea Cat held up her hand to signal him to stop, which he did, then she herself walked forward slowly. MK saw the knife she had with her in her hands, and she used it to cut his hands free.</p><p>“Stay put,” she said, loud enough for Macaque to hear, then whispered into MK’s ear. “But be ready to run on my signal…”</p><p>MK didn’t nod, but he was definitely ready. He turned, watching her slowly approach Macaque with the astrolabe while he nursed his wrists. She stopped an arm’s length away from Macaque and held the astrolabe out to him, almost by it’s edge so that it was stretched out as far out as she could allow. He seemed amused by her caution, taking only a single step forward, then reaching out and taking it, almost in the same manner as it was held out to him. Upon feeling his grip on it, Sea Cat released it and stepped back, making her way backward towards MK slowly, eyes not leaving Macaque or his crew, and her hand inching towards her whip with each step. Macaque was too busy studying the astrolabe itself to notice, which was obviously what she was waiting for.</p><p>With a fluid motion, her wrist flicked forward, taking the handle of the whip and letting the rest fly out forward; the way it moved was almost like watching a distant bolt of lightning, or an eel gliding through the water, and the sound it made this time was much softer, but it obviously hit it’s mark with ease. It wrapped around the astrolabe and yanked it from Macaque’s grip, sending it flying back through the air and into her own.</p><p>Sea Cat turned to MK, hands turning the rings on the astrolabe and crying out, “Now, run!”</p><p>MK did as bid, almost instinctively lifting his arm so that she could under it, letting it across her shoulders so she could help support him as they made a break for it. Behind him, he could hear Macaque’s confused crew hollering and shouting loudly in confusion, the moving constellations that roamed around them--though immaterial--seemed too real for them not to react as though they were.</p><p>“They’re not real, you blasted fools!” Macaque roared over the chaotic din. “Get after them!”</p><p>MK couldn’t help but laugh at hearing their panic as he and Sea Cat ran. “Thanks, looks like I owe you one!” he said.</p><p>“You owe me twice, but who’s counting?” she replied, also letting out a laugh. “But don’t thank me just yet, we still have to outrun them!”</p><p>MK nodded, doing his best to keep up with her pace, even trying to speed it up by limping faster despite his leg. It hurt, yeah, but he was willing to put up with it for the sake of escaping. He looked around them as they ran, particularly up at the cliffside as he saw a few of the constellation shapes move along it, becoming warped and wavy like mirages due to the way the cliffs themselves were cut out by nature. Some of the ways they moved seemed to make them glow even brighter, and almost flash like the sun glinting off of a shard of mirror.</p><p>And it gave him an idea!</p><p>“No, don’t!” MK says, reaching and grabbing Sea Cat’s other wrist with his hand as she started to tuck the astrolabe into her pouch again. “Leave it out!”</p><p>“What? If I do that they’ll be able to find us easily even if we don’t find a decent hiding spot before then!”</p><p>“They will, yeah, but so will my crew!” MK said. “We just have to keep moving!”</p><p>Sea Cat grunted in thought, hesitating and chewing her lip, but she finally held the astrolabe above her head. “You’d better be right about this or I’ll make sure to come back as a banshee and haunt your arse!”</p><p>MK laughed, looking up as the astrolabe’s effect seemed to dome over them, Pegasus in particular circling as though working in correlation with the impromptu plan. Now they just had to manage to keep ahead of Macaque and his crew long enough for Wukong and the others to--hopefully--figure out where they were!</p><p>A pistol or musket shot hit stone as they rounded a bend on the beach, stopping only long enough to climb up a small ridge that stood in their way, MK only making it thanks to Sea Cat’s help. While hoisting him up, she cracked her whip down at an unfortunate pirate that had managed to catch up with them, the tip catching him right square in the forehead, and from his cry of pain, MK was extremely grateful he had the reflexes to dodge it the first time he encountered it. Once that pirate fell back down, she helped him back to his feet and they continued running, stopped by another ridge; this whole section of the cliffside seemed to be like one giant set of stairs! </p><p>MK growled in frustration under his breath, looking up as Sea Cat hoisted him up and then climbed up herself, and his eyes fixed on a large boulder above them. He wasn’t sure if it could really be called a spark of inspiration, he was more thinking about how much it would really just… suck, if that thing decided to fall now. And that’s when he found himself laughing out loud as an idea struck him.</p><p>“Hey, just how much can that whip of yours cut through?” he asked. Sea Cat followed his gaze up to the boulder, and she smirked, helping him up again.</p><p>“Oh, that’ll be like cutting through a boiled potato!” she said. “We just gotta get up to it!”</p><p>“Not we, just you!” MK said. “If Macaque wants me as bait so bad, then I’ll be bait!”</p><p>“But… are you sure?”</p><p>“Just go, I’ll be fine!”</p><p>Sea Cat gave him a crooked smirk. “Damn, you really are…” she started to say, then shook her head. She shoved the astrolabe at him, then bolted to the cliff and jumped to grab onto a ledge within her reach. From there, she started to climb, soon almost vanishing out of his sight over the edge near the boulder. Good! This might just work after all! MK turned so that his back was against the wall of rock, and he made sure to hold the astrolabe in a way that the constellations would be too distracting for Sea Cat to be noticed on the top of the cliff.</p><p>He took a deep, controlled breath as the first members of Macaque’s crew started to appear over the edge of the ridge he was on, Macaque himself among them. MK smirked, moving himself a bit closer to the wall and inching along it carefully, trying to appear as cornered and helpless as he could.</p><p>“Stay back!” he warned in a mock threatening, mock frightened tone. “I’ve got a magical… start navigation thingy!”</p><p>Macaque held out an arm and stopped one of his crew from charging forward while looking at MK. “What happened to your little wench?”</p><p>“Whoa, hey, that’s kind of rude!” MK said. “Not all pirate girls have to be wenches! That’s just bad stereotyping!”</p><p>At the clifftop, Sea Cat took care to wrap her whip around the boulder, not wanting to crack it so as to avoid being heard by the pirates below. It would take a hearty tug to get all the way through, but it would get through nonetheless, and she just hoped MK knew to get out of the way when it started to come down, even with that broken leg of his. She leaned back, the handle of the whip held carefully in one hand and her legs braced for MK’s signal to come from below.</p><p>“Where is she, MK?” Macaque asked again with a growl, before smirking. “Or did she think better of the situation and decide to dump you?”</p><p>“She didn’t dump me!” MK scowled at Macaque as he continued to creep along the rock wall, then paused for a moment and blinked. “Not that she really could, we were never like… I mean, she’s pretty, don’t get me wrong, but not my type! I’m more of… um… wait, I shouldn’t even be telling you this…”</p><p>“Probably not, no.” Macaque said, snorting at MK in amusement. “Not that it matters, of course…”</p><p>MK smirked. “You’re right, it really doesn’t… Now, Sea Cat!”</p><p>MK turned the rings on the astrolabe, causing the illusions to fade and plunging the area into the blackness of night. His eyes had to adjust to see, just as much as he was sure their eyes did too, though he still looked up, and against the backdrop of the sky he could see the welcome sight of the boulder starting to come down. Sea Cat fell back somewhat as the full slack returned to her whip, though it sliced through the boulder just as planned and sent it plummeting down to the beach below...</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>With the dark and his eyes only adjusting a little too late, Macaque could only dive to one side, off the ridge he stood on as the boulder crashed down, crushing any of his idiot crew that were too slow to get out of the way. The boulder smashed to the ground hard, threatening to roll further down the natural steps as it almost bounced upon the impact.</p><p>Sea Cat watched from above as the pirates scattered to escape the boulder before it finally came to a stop, laughing quietly to herself, before looking down the cliff to where she last saw MK.</p><p>“You still with me, lad?” she hollered down, cupping a hand to her mouth.</p><p>A tense pause that she didn’t like, followed by a cough, which drew her attention to the side of the cliff. It seemed that MK, despite his broken leg, had somehow managed to make a leap up to the same ledge she had earlier to begin her climb up the cliff in an effort to get completely clear of the boulder as it fell. She shook her head in amusement as MK looked up at her.</p><p>“Yeah! I’m still here! Just barely…”</p><p>“Here,” Sea Cat lowered her whip down to him. “Grab on, I’ll pull you up!”</p><p>MK gratefully did as she asked and took hold of the whip, letting her pull him up to join her, using his good leg to help the ascent. He glanced down a few times at the beach below, bracing himself for the possible sight of Macaque climbing up after him, but thankfully, it appeared either the boulder got him, or he had been too busy getting clear and recovering to notice MK heading up the cliff.</p><p>He glanced back up and gasped at seeing the black monkey’s shadow looming over a completely unaware Sea Cat, just as he reached the top of the cliff.</p><p>“Behind you!” he managed to holler as he grabbed the edge of the cliff.</p><p>Sea Cat didn’t have time to turn around before Macaque grappled an arm around her throat, yanking her back and making her choke from the force. She dropped her whip in surprise, but thankfully MK had enough of a hold on the cliff’s edge to keep himself from falling, and to pull himself up to the relative safety of the clifftop. He grit his teeth, other hand clenching around the whip tightly, which made him blink in the realization that he was in fact holding--and had full control--of the unique weapon. Glaring at Macaque, he jerked his hand, in as similar a way as he could to the way he saw Sea Cat do it earlier, spinning the whip in the air above his head a few times.</p><p>“Hey, Macaque!” he shouted, getting the monkey’s attention just as he let the whip fly… but backwards.</p><p>The hefty handle of the whip, not it’s tip, flew at Macaque and hit him right in his good eye, causing the pirate to cry out in abrupt surprise and pain, his grip on Sea Cat loosening. She took the immediate opportunity to duck out of his grip all together, dropping to the ground and sweeping her leg out behind her to knock Macaque’s own out from under him. He stumbled back, and with a second, well placed kick, she sent him stumbling back further, right off the edge of the cliff itself.</p><p>MK winced as he heard the impact, leaning as much as he could safely to try and see where Macaque fell before Sea Cat helped him up. “Yeah, I hope that hurt!” he shouted down with a laugh. “I know it did when I fell…”</p><p>“Let’s go before he has a chance to recover!” Sea Cat said, picking up her whip before looping MK’s arm over her shoulders again. “And… thanks for that. You weren’t half bad for a beginner, even if you did end up using the wrong end.”</p><p>“Oh, that? I uh… I mean to do that!” MK said, blushing a little from her praise. Sea Cat laughed, shaking her head as they finally made it back into the shadows of the jungle. MK laughed too, reaching up and rubbing the back of his head with his free hand. He paused a moment, then looked back at Sea Cat.</p><p>“By the way, you were about to say something earlier, what was it?”</p><p>“Was I?”</p><p>“Yeah, right before you climbed up to take care of the boulder…”</p><p>“...Ah, right.” Sea Cat shook her head. “That was nothing, just saying that you reminded me of someone… my captain, actually.”</p><p>“Really?” MK asked, head tilting curiously.</p><p>“Aye… granted, you still have a long way to go before you really are on par with someone like him, but you’re well on your way, make no mistake about that.” Sea Cat replied.</p><p>“Oh yeah? Well, I’d sure like to meet him some time!”</p><p>“Heh, perhaps someday you will, lad. Perhaps someday, you will.”</p><p>“MK!”</p><p>Sea Cat and MK both stopped in their tracks, MK’s head spinning around as he heard Mei’s unmistakable voice calling out to him from somewhere close by in the jungle. Sea Cat helped him to brace himself on a nearby tree, reaching for her whip and looking like she was bracing for a fight again, but MK placed a hand on her shoulder.</p><p>“It’s okay, it’s okay!” he said. “They’re with me, this time!” He gave her a smile as she relaxed, then turned into the direction where he’d heard Mei’s voice come from. “I’m over here!” he called out loudly.</p><p>He paused, listening for a response, his smile growing when he heard the foliage rustling, the voices of his friends drawing closer, and could even see their familiar shapes starting to appear in the dark. He sighed in relief, leaning more of his weight against the tree as his body relaxed--well and truly relaxed--for what felt like the first time that day.</p><p>“You know, if you talk to my captain, I bet he can work something out where our crews split whatever treasure the astrolabe leads--” MK stopped mid sentence as he turned around and found himself quite alone in the jungle. He sighed. “And she’s gone again. How does she bloody do that anyway…?”</p><p>“MK!”</p><p>MK barely had a chance to turn back around when Mei flew at him in one of her tackle hugs, almost knocking them both back if not for the tree he was leaning against.</p><p>“MK, are you alright?! We’ve been looking for you everywhere! We were worried Macaque had gotten you! Then we couldn’t find you or him and there were all these weird lights in the distance and--”</p><p>“Ow, ow, ow! Mei!” he yelped. “Th-The leg, watch the leg!”</p><p>“What’s wrong with your leg?!” she demanded.</p><p>“It’s broken…” MK replied with a quiet whine as Pigsy came forward and helped to support him.</p><p>“Broken? What happened?” Wukong asked, walking forward and looking the boy over with concern written all over his face, even in the dark.</p><p>“Well… You know what, it’s a long story.” MK said with a heavy sigh, sagging onto Mei’s shoulder. “One I’d really rather tell when we’re all back safe on the ship!”</p><p>Wukong nodded, turning to lead the way back, but making sure to walk at the same pace that MK was with help from the others. He was a bit surprised to see how… content the boy looked, despite also looking like he’d been through borderline hell. MK caught his stare, glancing over at the Monkey King as they walked, frowning when he saw what appeared to be a stern look on his face. He sighed.</p><p>“I know, I know exactly what you’re going to say…” he said. “I know I shouldn’t have run off all on my own like that, but all I could think of was getting the astrolabe back and… making up for last night.”</p><p>“Kid, there’ll be other scores, other treasures we can get. But there’s only one you.” Wukong said. “And I think I speak for all of us when I say that we’d rather have you than some supposedly magic astrolabe!”</p><p>“Definitely!” Mei said, reaching up and pinching MK’s cheek, earning a chuckle from him.</p><p>His chuckle turned into a full, giddy grin as he thought more on Wukong’s remark, which made his mind flash back to the magic he’d seen the astrolabe perform earlier that night. He tugged his arm off of Pigsy’s shoulder, and stopped long enough to reach into his shirt, where he’d tugged the astrolabe earlier after jumping out of the boulder’s path.</p><p>“Supposedly magic, huh?” he asked, smirking. “Well wait till you see…”</p><p>He paused, freezing as he rooted around inside his shirt for the astrolabe, bafflement settling in as he tugged his hand back out and began to pat himself down furiously. Wukong raised an eyebrow at him.</p><p>“Uh, you okay kid?”</p><p>MK let out a frustrated cry and grabbed handfuls of his hair. “No! The astrolabe! Ugh, she got it away from me again!”</p><p>“She? She who?”</p><p>“...Like I said, it’s a long story…” MK groaned, running his fingers through his hair and ruffling it in frustration. He suddenly paused as he felt something sticking out of the back of his headband, something that didn’t belong.</p><p>He tugged it free and looked at it, eyes glinting with curiosity when he saw that it was a small, rolled up piece of paper, and unrolling it. His eyes scanned the contents, and then he couldn’t help but laugh, which made the others stare at him in confusion.</p><p>“Uh, kid?” Wukong asked, and MK handed him the piece of paper, which he looked over briefly before looking back at MK. “What exactly is this?”</p><p>“I promise, I’ll explain everything when we get back, but for now let’s just say that this is just the first piece of a pretty interesting puzzle!”<br/>~~~<br/>Elsewhere on the island, a lone ship sat anchored, safely out of sight, though not anchored for long as it’s last wayward crewmember came back aboard.</p><p>She walked to the captain’s cabin and knocked a few times on the door, waiting for a response before entering, smiling and giving her captain a small, and somewhat lazy salute as she approached his desk.</p><p>“Welcome back!” her captain greeted cheerfully. “I trust your little trip ashore was successful?”</p><p>“Most successful.” Sea Cat said, producing the astrolabe with a proud grin and sliding it across the desk towards him.</p><p>“Excellent! I never doubted you for a minute, Cat!” he said as he picked it up.</p><p>“There’s more.” Sea Cat said, sitting on the edge of the desk, smiling as he looked up at her, curiosity written on his face. “I found something that I think you’ll like far better than whatever that little trinket leads us to…”</p><p>“Oh? And what’s that?”</p><p>Sea Cat grinned, fiddling with the whip on her belt as she looked her captain in the eye. “New competition.”</p><p>Her grin widened as he set aside the astrolabe as though it were worth very little, and he leaned forward in his chair across the desk, glacier blue eyes sparking with a childish, almost impish look of glee in them as he looked at her.</p><p>“Tell me everything.”</p><p>THE END</p>
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